Automatic Paradox
by Lyrical Logic
Summary: Some people aren't very good at letting go. Others need to learn how to forgive and forget. Everyone else has to be good at keeping secrets. And the Labyrinth? It's just a sentient building with a plan as devious as Time its self...
1. Kill The Director

Automatic paradox

**Warnings- **Nothing yet

**Disclaimer- **I do not own any content used or referred to in this Fan Fiction.

**Notes-** First Labyrinth fan fiction, though I have been obsessed with it since I was...3, so yeah, well over a decade. Just so you know Jareth won't appear for _ages_ yet. There's a shit load of character and plot development that needs to happen until he can plausibly appear. Oh, and to beat the flamers, I write in a way that makes sense to me. I hate plots that are all fluff and no substance, especially in this domain. There is so much that can be done with labyrinth but no one can be stuffed to do it. Basically, if you're looking for fluff I'm not your author.

My original BETA refused to do this so I _really _need a new one.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Automatic paradox**

Chapter 1- For a pessimist, I'm pretty optimistic

By –shoes-

Betaed by

* * *

-o-o-o-

_Time is like a malignant tumor, it has endless patience curling its self around things, plotting and scheming till _everything_ is set up perfectly for you to succeed. Then when you least expect it, it spitefully turns on you ruining your plans._

_Its one of these things we have to face, time doesn't give a damn about you or what you want _

_Be__cause while time may heal all wounds, it always has its own agenda _

-o-o-o-

Sarah was not as gifted as her mother at acting, and had found after studying it for a while that she hated it. She had no love, no passion for acting out someone else's fairy tale unless she was the valiant rescuer or the dastardly villain, which considering the way most plays where written –with male leads for those parts damn near impossible. She tried being a playwright only to find that while her imagination worked just fine, the construction of a story around conventional means –i.e. Romantic stories where the princess marries the prince- was impossible after her own adventure in the labyrinth. She began to see the fatal flaw in fully devoting herself to only one outcome. She quit her plays and acting classes effectively isolating herself from her acting friends.

Unfortunately, her decision came to late to save her rapidly nose diving grades and neither Karen nor her father was too happy about the outcome. With her increasing isolation, Sarah became depressed and cheerless even vainly calling her friends to talk to her, of course the Goblin King had forbidden all contact with the aboveground and all Sarah could get was static. Karen was suspicious of her sudden 180 in attitude and sent her to a councilor who told her she was delusional for even imagining the labyrinth existed. Sarah lost all sense of importance in her life and quickly fell into depression.

That was the same year her mother stopped speaking to her.

After nearly bombing that year in school, she decided she needed to redefine herself as something other than a selfish actor, she put all her childish memories in a secure water proof box under her bed, tried forget about the labyrinth –although the insistent reminders never did truly cease- and did her best to redefine herself.

It wasn't easy, her relationship with Karen became even more strained when she heard that she was quitting her acting classes in favor of something more academic. Karen wasn't particularly made at the change its self but more at the fact that Sarah had wasted so much money on something she wasn't going to carry through with and after one spat where Karen called Sarah a 'selfish money wasting twit' and Sarah called her a 'controlling money grabbing whore' they altogether stopped any unnecessary speaking.

So Sarah, now with no support from her family, step or otherwise was doing her best to struggle through her academics while juggling 2 jobs for extra money. If she weren't as determined as she was, she most likely would have given into Karen's demands. She spent increasing amounts of time in the library studying for her exams and on one such expedition; she found her new best friend, in the form of science geek and mythology buff Delilah. Delilah was equal parts brainy science geek and attractive high school girl, she was part African American with a cute button nose, dark hair and strangely knowing coffee eye's. Despite her heritage Delilah was quite short and at about 5,5 she was the epitome of cute and fluffy. She was extremely knowledgeable about science and helped Sarah pull her science grades up dramatically by explaining it in, what she called 'Dum Dum science language,' she was the first person to make Sarah fully smile since the labyrinth. Sarah had a lot to thank her for, if it wasn't for Delilah she mostly likely would have done something silly by know.

Sarah aced the next year, and along the way discovered that although science teacher's had a way of making it boring Sarah quite enjoyed certain parts of the scientific grey ground. She liked chemistry and adored normal physics, but she really fell in love with quantum physics. She liked its complexity; she liked the rules you had to follow, about how you could bend matter and how you couldn't, what the difference between Supplee's paradox and Babinet's paradox was and how each in their own way affected our perception of time and reality. After applying for a spot in UoL –University of London-, she got a letter back saying she had tested in the top 5 percent and was immediately accepted into a scholarship program. She was leaving the week after next and had packed up her things which were now, standoffishly placed outside her door awaiting removal.

-o-o-o-

Karen had been hinting at getting Toby a bigger room and Sarah had hinted that as long as Robert was her father that was not going to happen. Karen had given into Sarah's harsh and unrealistic demand and while she loved Toby -she really, really did- some sacrifices must be made. Karen was –loathe as she was to admit it- quite impressed by the ferocity of the argument and was quite content to assume Sarah's continued residency in the house. So when Delilah swung by with a cake and all of Sarah's favourite chick flicks, Karen knew something was up.

"Delilah! To what do we owe the pleasure?" While Karen liked Delilah, she didn't like her slightly rude attitude toward her and her family.

Delilah beamed and exclaimed, "Sarah of course! I can't believe she got in, aren't you going to miss her?" Delilah kept her question light and her eyes guarded but anyone could see the implication behind her words.

Karen blinked at her, "Miss her? Where is she going?" she demanded. Sarah choose that moment to appear at the stairs. She had just come from the shower and was slightly disorientated. Karen saw her and turned her glare dial to 9.

"Well? She screeched, "Where are you going!" Sarah looked at her and realized something she had missed for a long time, worry. Karen was worried and angry for her.

"I'm going to London next Sunday." She whispered gently letting the air settle, "I was accepted into UoL."

Karen lost it, all trace of any previous compassion was lost. She yelled for Robert and he and Toby came waddling in moments later slightly startled by the sound. Karen rapidly turned and pointed at Sarah screeching, "You are not going all the way to London to frivolously spend our hard earned money on something you will never complete-" by then Sarah had had enough she went down the stairs and slapped her. Visibly shaking Sarah clenched her fists, "How dare you," her voice was tightly controlled and red dripped from where her neat nails ruthlessly cut her skin, "I have done everything possible to achieve your high as hell standards and I am sick of always getting blamed when you don't get your way." Sarah stepped back a little and looked into her eyes, "I'm going and I don't give a damn about what you say. I _am_ going, just as soon as Delilah helps me with these bags."

As Sarah walked away from her family and into the awaiting car, she didn't bother to hide her tears. Just before she and Delilah drove away, Toby cried out and ran to the car giving Sarah a giant sloppy kiss. As he ran back inside Sarah curled herself into the fetal position.

Delilah looked at her crumpled friend and cheerfully said, "So Peaches where to now?" Sarah simply looked at her and began to cry again.

Delilah's eyes went saucer wide and she blinked a little. "Oh, well...um oops?"

Sarah opened her eyes, "Ya think?" She said her voice full of melancholy. Delilah had the decency to look embarrassed.

"Well look at it this way, you managed to mooch of your parents for 20 years, some of us were kicked out at 18." Delilah's hands tightened and Sarah remembered the week she had stayed holed up in her room crying and screaming at her parents for kicking her out.

Delilah cheered up rapidly and smiled anew, "Cheer up Peaches!" she punched the air as she spoke, "were going to London!"

-o-o-o-

London was packed.

People jostled each other and ran past each other in an effort to get where ever they had to be. The trains blew up dirt and debris from underneath as they roared past and the air absolutely stank of grease and fast food.

To Sarah it was freedom, freedom to be what she wanted without someone else's rules, without having to look over her shoulder for something that definitely wasn't there.

To Delilah it was yet another reminder of what could be achieved by the masses in a fundamental locality. The masses of museums, libraries, cafes and book stores spelled an irresistible heaven for the knowledge whore in her; she was already planning their first 'shopping trip.' She was also quietly mapping out their surroundings for future reference. Her little blue book was already crammed with useful information incase of fire, earthquake, tsunami and a rather large range of other not quite so likely phenomena.

After all the information was her job.

Sarah was worried. The hotel was too relaxed for her comfort and the staff complied far too easily, though that was to be expected of a 5 class establishment that could afford to have satin pillows, champagne and various fashion magazines in the front lobby. She had never had to provide for herself quite so much, the idea of working 3 jobs and completing a university course was daunting enough for her and the idea of finding suitable housing made her want to hit her head against a wall.

Delilah on the other hand was quite content to stay in the expensive hotels she had arranged for. As she delicately turned the pages, Delilah studied Sarah. She was definitely pretty, all sharp lines and dark grace she supposed she was undeniably fox like in features and at times she showed it, she was cunning when she had to be and fiercely protective of her friends.

And sometimes, she mused, sometimes she was like a rabbit, ever vigilant for a non existent foe, she watched Toby obsessively almost afraid of leaving him incase something –she wasn't entirely sure what Sarah thought could get through the dead locks- got him. Especially at night when there were owls out, then she would shut all the windows and lock all the doors as if assuring herself that nothing, _nothing_ could get in or out of the house. Her odd behaviour had increased, as Toby got older and had what Sarah called weird, slightly prolific dreams in which he –or a man in immorally tight pants- ruled over some other worldly creatures. She had seen Sarah's face once when Toby told her and when she had stiffened and sharply told poor Toby not to ever tell anyone, Delilah had seen blind fury in her eyes. She was afraid of shadows and spent a rather large part of her time reading. Sarah had secrets lots of them.

And eventually she would have to trust Delilah enough to tell her.

Sarah was propped up on caffeine and sugar trying desperately to force her mind to work and willing her eyes to find a place to live while she was here that was still in her budget. Her mind ached for something more intelligent to do and for awhile she was tempted to pull out the book sitting in her bag begging to be read.

No, she couldn't take her mind of her impending homelessness, and no matter how tempting Alyzon Whitesstar might be –she desperately wanted to know the ending- her life for the next 4-5 years was at stake here. So that meant no extra-curricular reading of any kind, Isobelle Carmody included. She sighed, let her posture relax a bit and drunk some of the bitter coffee.

Delilah placed her magazine on the table and mindlessly asked, "Did you find a place yet" she trained a pair of seamless espresso eyes on her, "or do you want some suggestions?"

Sarah heaved a giant sigh and slid into her cushions, "At this point a hovel would be nice."

Delilah's eyes grew brighter and she turned a hundred watt smile on Sarah, "Well my dear Bubbles, I can't promise you a hovel," her smile turned Cheshire wide, "but I may be able to supply you with a high-rise penthouse suite on the 23rd floor of an expensive, yet efficient hotel."

Sarah snorted, "Oh yes I can _definitely_ afford a high-rise penthouse its not like I'm _lacking _in the funds department or anything." She said her voice laced with sarcasm.

Delilah pouted, "But then who am I going to share room 127 with?" She quickly darted her neon green painted fingers into her pocket and effectively produced a pair of silver keys with a little blue label reading 127 on it. Sarah squealed and hugged her friend.

"Thank god I was about to throw a fit." She retracted her arms and gave Delilah an uneasy smile, "But you know I can't afford to, I simply don't have the funds."

Delilah's voice rose into light laughter, "I know _that _the suite was my parent's gift for my 20th birthday." She lopsidedly grinned and continued, "Well that the keys to one of their boats and 300 000 000 worth of real-estate and books. Respectively of course." She grinned again, "So this doesn't bother me at all."

Sarah smiled, "Have I ever told you how much I love you." And for what seemed an unnaturally long time she meant it.

-o-o-o-

Sarah hadn't expected it to be such an ordeal, the moving, cleaning, stacking, restacking, cataloguing and re-cleaning of the suite tired her out more than anything. But the school work was the real chore, she had only attended 8 days worth of classes and already she could see the intellectual and physical strain the next 5 or so years of her life would be. On arrival at her first class –advanced quantum mechanics- she was immediately presented with the slightly demoralizing task of explaining super-fluidity to a rather small, rather intelligent group of students.

Luckily, it was a phenomenon that fascinated her and she explained with relative ease. Her next 2 classes were lectures on Quantum Hydronamics and a rather long, rather boring lecture on Shakespearian English. After each class, she returned to the suite and ran through to grab her clothes for whatever job she was working.

After one particularly stressful day, she ran into her well mannered but obviously addled Quantum Physics lecturer who was for some unfathomable reason trying to catch a leaf. When she stopped to help him, he grabbed her and shrieked.

Sarah surprised jumped away and quickly looked for the nearest exit – years of experienced had taught her to run away the second small things started screeching. As she edged toward a nice safe looking bush he pounced and bounded toward her hair, Sarah screamed as they both fell over into the bush. She swore loudly and noticed the inappropriately lingering fingers on her form.

She looked up and with just a teensy weensy bit of malice said, "Why thank you pervert care to let go now?" It was at that precise moment that her eyes and the mad man sitting on her chest met. Suddenly she wasn't angry anymore, she wasn't anything anymore. She was everything, she was the ageless trees, the forever young butterflies, the immortal earth and she was also something much deeper, something singing, echoing a deep strum in the depth of her soul. Her heart thudded once, twice and then nothing a warm power unwillingly let her sleep.

-o-o-o-

It was about 3 months since then. She had formed a very warm and close friendship with her lecturer. Her work load had evened out a little and her father was somehow braving Karen to get her extra stuff sent over. Things where moving smoothly and she couldn't be happier for it, in the few short months she had lived here she had never felt happier, less smothered than she did now. She could feel her mind working to tell her something and as always she studiously ignored it; it was not worth the time or effort to contemplate.

She had bigger fish to fry.

Tonight was very important for Delilah and by association important for Sarah, and there was no way after being forced to cook for hours on end, that Sarah would let anything ruin this. And anything just happened to include stupidly powerful, too tight pant wearing figments of her imagination. Delilah was her best friend and as such deserved a night without freakiness or her weird paranoia about nailed windows and obsession with a paste that according to Mr. Woolfe – her physics lecturer and close friend- would keep all manner of things out.

Sarah sat down tired of the ache in her legs and hiked up her shimmering red knee length dress to rub her sore tendons. She casually glanced across the spotless room and in to Delilah's room. Delilah's room was filled to the rafters with books, designs and maps all colour coordinated to fit with her rather creepy purple fetish. Delilah was standing in the doorway relying heavily on its support. Her multi-green calf length dress fluttered absentmindedly.

Her eyes widened when she saw Sarah, "Peaches you didn't have to do all this!" Sarah smiled; she owed Delilah a lot and would quite gladly rip off a non-essential appendage for her. Putting on a mock-brave face she clutched her heart and said, "It's okay Bubbles I don't really mind all I had to do were these _horribly_ important assignments and papers. Nothing that _really_ mattered." Both of them laughed, it slowly dimmed as each got caught in their own thoughts.

Together they looked out the window, the pouring sky filled the window with its own colorful creation and somewhere in the back of her mind; Sarah almost wished she could feel them. She was snapped out of her daze by the smell of burning, "Um, Bubbles you didn't by any chance _try_ to cook did you." Sarah said hoping against all hope that it was not the case.

"Well yeah I thought Nick would..." Delilah cut off mid sentence and ran toward the kitchen. "Shit," Her voice rose to a clear soprano, "Shit, shit, SHIT!"

Sarah sighed and stood up, bracing herself for the inevitable battle. "Time to call the fire brigade."

Delilah had completely and utterly destroyed dinner. Nothing was left to identify it is a rather large, rather fine leg of pork. As Sarah looked to Delilah, she briefly wondered if she had any latent powers she should be aware of.

"So," Sarah said removing the burnt monstrosity, "I guess its take out Chinese?"

Delilah artfully crossed the room and flounced into a chair, "I suppose so, I'll get Nick to pick it up." She then proceeded to dig out a menu and effortlessly phone the restaurant.

Sarah –not half as gracefully- dived into a chair and flipped open her newest book, settling down she carefully arranged a blanket over herself and began to read.

Before she had even read 2 whole chapters, the door bell rang. Delilah –who at the time was studiously watching the 2008 Olympics- ran for the door and in a motion that made Sarah blush crashed her lips onto the strangers. She giggled and grabbed the food from his hands leaping into the kitchen. Placing one hand on the top of the couch and twisting so that only her eyes and a slight arch of her back could be seen Sarah looked at the stranger.

The stranger -who she realized must be Nick- smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head affectively ruffling his coffee syrup brown hair. His own tawny eyes widened when Sarah looked at him over the couch. His smile suddenly increased and Sarah could see why Delilah liked him so much.

They both had smiles that could blind the dead.

Delilah danced out of the kitchen and latched onto Nick, "How did you know where to get the Chinese?" She hadn't bothered to hide the stark admiration in her voice, "I didn't text you yet."

Another maniacal grin spread across his face. "I had a... _feeling_ you would try and cook again." He gently stroked her hair and for a second Sarah almost sighed at the romantic scene.

Then her stomach growled.

Embarrassed, she quickly blushed and quietly told it to shut up. Delilah gave her an exasperated look and danced back into the kitchen. Feeling slightly self conscious, Sarah stood up and moved to lean against the back of the couch.

Nick smiled jovially and stuck out a calloused well muscled hand, "Hi I'm Nick and you're Sarah right," he kept the question out of his voice and Sarah dumbly nodded, from the kitchen a plate crashed and Delilah squealed, Nick smiled and shook his head, "Give me a minute with the Ms. and then we get really introduced." He winked and pranced away, leaving Sarah behind.

Sarah stared at the cream carpet and a smile slowly, but surely crawled onto her face. For once things were going well for her and there was no imaginary fiend to screw things up. Sarah's smile grew bigger and she let out a maniac little laugh.

Nothing was going to stop Sarah living her life.

END CHAPTER

* * *

**Author rant**

REAAAAAAAAAAALY sick right now.

Okay for those of you who know me as a Naruto writer, I will not be writing for it anymore. The series is starting to bore me shitless and Kishimoto-sama is letting the series wander. Also the mother fucking fan girls

YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!

Oh and did anyone besides me LOVE breaking dawn

BETA RANT

I NEED A NEW ONE!

And until I get one can you please tell me if there are any heinous grammatical or spelling mistakes.

See that button _way _down there, yes the one that says REVIEWS click it.


	2. Dirty Buisness

**Warnings- **Nothing yet

**Disclaimer- **I do not own any content used or referred to in this Fan Fiction.

**Notes- **First Labyrinth fan fiction, though I have been obsessed with it since I was...3, so yeah, well over a decade. Just so you know Jareth won't appear for _ages_ yet. There's a shit load of character and plot development that needs to happen until he can plausibly appear. Oh, and to beat the flamers, I write in a way that makes sense to me. I hate plots that are all fluff and no substance, especially in this domain. There is so much that can be done with labyrinth but no one can be stuffed to do it. Basically, if you're looking for fluff I'm not your author.

My original BETA refused to do this so I _really _need a new one.

* * *

**Automatic paradox**

Chapter 2 – Dirty business

By –shoes-

Betaed by

-o-o-o-

_Love is__ like a brilliant wind. It circles things, ebbing and flowing till there is a clear path. It moves smoothly, gracefully in a light show of beauty and perfection. Impossibly beautiful you start to believe in things, like fairy tales about the evil king and the place that will never be. You can see yourself as the unbearably perfect hero who saves everyone. Then one day you wake up and realize _'it was all a dream...'_ and you wonder at the relentless cruelty that love brings. _

_Love is a cruelly affectionate tyrant that twists your words and warps your being._

_And –like time-, it has no problem breaking rules_

-o-o-o-

Sarah was seated at her favourite café with everything a self sufficient person could want in a lazy, Sunday afternoon. She had her comfy, slightly frumpy red and brown jumper, iPod –turned all the way up to David Bowies 'Starman'- a collection of different sweets and a fierce determination to read to the end of this book. It was everything a hard working student needed to end a long tiresome week. A long lazy and completely uninterrupted afternoon of nothing but her and her book.

Apparently, no one had told Delilah

She –being in a rather happy Delilah-ish mood this morning- had invited 3 of her friends for quote, 'Afternoon tea that may or may not, depending on the weather in Turkey, last all night. –Insert bright smile here- With optional drinking of course!' Dejectedly Sarah closed her book and peeled off her sweater, it was a truly sad day when large bodies of land and alcoholic beverages managed to one up her. She took a long drawn out sip off her chai latte and absentmindedly picked up her book again. She set it down again after a few pages, when her eyes refused to register the words, alternatively opting for looking out the smoke and gum tinted window. It was pouring outside, the rain becoming an incessant rhythm that made her tap out the beat of whatever song she was listening to. The music became wordless and everything was sharpened. Her feet moved and she quietly, mindlessly wondered why she never became a musician.

Definitely no Goblins _that_ way

She could have been a flautist or cellist or maybe even a pianist. She sighed and absentmindedly rubbed her wrists. It was a nervous habit she had developed in high school and had never bothered to rid herself of. She twisted her wrists over and gazed at the long thin scar that trailed from her wrist all the way to her elbow. She shivered at the memories and pulled her brain back from its stroll down memory lane.

She wasn't ready to face it.

And wouldn't be for a long while by the look of it.

The music changed and flowed into another song, a melody on the piano that Delilah's friend had made for Delilah's 19th birthday.

It had stopped raining and as the sun shot a path through the rain soaked streets of London Sarah _almost _wished she could-

"Peaches!" Delilah bellowed from the cake stand, "Get your skinny latte drinking ass over here!"

Sarah waved back, leaned further into her seat, and reopened her book. She was allowed to be difficult every once a while.

-

While Sarah was having a Queen-of-woe-and-angsty-solitude moment, Delilah was busy contemplating her choices. She could A- have lemon cheesecake B- hazelnut and vanilla gateau or C- rocky road.

Such hard choices

Then there were the other not quite so relevant right now but could destroy the world after dinner choices.

Like seating arrangements

Delilah had four effective seating choices.

Option A- She sits next to Sarah and mediates all conversation.

Option B- She sits opposite and trusts Ren not to be an idiot.

Option C- She sits window side and Nick –someone she _won't_ hate- to look after her affectively clearing all need for any other contact.

Option D- She grabs Sarah and Nick –possibly Ren if she feels like it- and makes a mad dash for the Netherlands.

So far Option D looked most plausible.

Delilah sighed, flung her espresso dark hair over her shoulder and began to search for an invisible tangle. She knew how important this meeting was and how much rode on it, and unfortunately she couldn't by pass it. Letting out another, more drawn out sigh she made another pointed look at Sarah. She knew Sarah knew she was here and she knew that when upon deciding something Sarah stuck to it. Regardless of impossibility. It was like she was an unstoppable force, Delilah smiled moving her head to lie on Nick's shoulder, and Delilah would love to see that immovable object. As she lay her head down Sarah caught her attention, she was sitting in a booth effortlessly wafting a certain disturbing nothingness that hurt Delilah's nose. She never liked it when Sarah slipped into emotional stasis it made her too confusing.

-

Sarah was thinking again. This time she was debating about the properties of Phosphorus. Never found alone, phosphorus was an essential in the make up of the universe. It was part of DNA, made metal and was almost always included in everyday life. It was also highly reactive and in a certain allotropic form a deadly poison. It could kill, self ignite and harm people in many gruesome ways, yet it was a building block of life, a complete necessity for people. If you looked at it that way everything had a dark –and potentially light- side. Sarah had never comprehended that part. If something was so inherently bad, why was it so essential? In Sarah's mind there was only ever good and bad.

If the villain's weren't villain's what were they?

Even with her insatiable curiosity, Sarah really didn't want to know.

-

Delilah had momentarily forget about her woes and concentrated on the smells. This was the good part of being the informer. The slightly heightened senses that allowed her to collect and file harder to come by information, like the way deceit smelled and what exactly a thief looked like. It also allowed her to smell other things like the scent of leather and coffee beans that wafted off Nick like a protective barrier. The fierce protective cherry-blossom-and-dark-chocolate scent that drifted off Ren when she focused and the pungently deceptive vanilla and coconut that coated Sarah when she panicked. She sighed and shifted her head, she liked her powers, it was less intense than Ren and more tangible than Nick, a perfect combination though it did make it extremely easy to lose focus. Delilah frowned and focused her attention forward; it would help no one if Sarah had a panic attack today.

-

Sarah was bored, she was so unnervingly bored that she had begun to do something she swore she would never do.

She counted cars

As weird as the pastime was she found it extremely useful for when she was bored. She counted and tallied the red cars, memorized the number plates of the stationary ones and, when all else failed assigned each colour an element and played bingo. Sarah of course being so terrifically bad at losing was doing everything possible to win.

Even cheating

Sarah sighed and stifled the scram of boredom. By now, Sarah was reaching recently unattainable heights of boredom. She could barely think through the boredom.

Sarah. Was. Bored

And as we all know bad things happen when Sarah's bored.

As if sensing the disturbance Delilah –as Delilah was want to do- appeared out of thin air.

"Peaches! Look who I brought you!" As Delilah made wide emphatic gestures, Sarah noticed her slightly disheveled look, one of her buttons was done up wrong and the worry line that sat perfectly between her brows was more pronounced, "Aren't you happy?"

It was another one of her word games. Delilah was very good at making people tremble with repressed rage. She was one of those people who without the slightest bit of embarrassment could ask the single most personal questions. Sarah could tally on one hand the people she'd met who could do that.

And no people in poet shirts don't count.

Refusing to fall for the bait, Sarah smiled her perfect I-am-an-ice-queen-don't-fuck-with-me smile and said, "Oh my dear but I'm happiest when you are happiest, tis naught but terror without your sun to radiate the day."

Nick strode up behind Delilah, "Hey," his voice full of mock outrage, "that's my line." He smiled at Sarah and swooped down to peck her cheek. "How's it going gorgeous?"

Flipping her hair Sarah stared at him, "Much better now that I have _intelligent_," she gave Delilah a pointed stare, "conversation."

Nick rubbed his head, "Ah so you're pissed."

Sarah frowned, "Extremely."

"It's all her fault you know."

"I know."

"I tried to stop her."

"Better men, darling."

"So you're not going to kill me, right."

"Not unless you steal my pudding."

"I won't make any promises."

Nick beamed and Sarah suddenly felt better. Of course, with Delilah around things never really stayed that way.

"So I'll call them over now?"

Delilah looked hopeful and slightly...was that fear? Sarah blinked and shook her head, Delilah wasn't scared. What could scare Delilah?

Nick looked at her and swung his hand lightly. "I suppose."

Sarah was nervous now, if Nick was Delilah's boyfriend what would her other friends be like. She wasn't a beauty queen and could barely compete with Nick look wise. If she was lucky Delilah's friends would only be slightly prettier than average. Unfortunately, Lady Luck had PMS that week and was feeling slightly pissy

Besides she never much liked Sarah.

-o-o-o-

Delilah's friends were –of course- stupefying-ly beautiful. The one closest to her was a woman maybe a year younger than her, with lusciously long champagne hair and a scowl on her heart shaped face. She had amazing eyes about the same colour as Nick's but slightly denser. The man she was basically twisted around was cropped and neat, with straight lines that somehow barely managed to hide his air of wildness.

And the girl, well she was absolutely flawless in Sarah's eyes. Red shaded hair that fell listlessly around a perfectly oval shaped face, coal black eyes that betrayed nothing of her feelings and an all consuming air that made Sarah mist over.

She was _perfect._

Sarah caught her self staring and promptly closed her mouth and lowered her eyes. God, what must she think of her? Staring and goggling like that, was so very undignified.

The wild-man and champagne girl started to giggle to themselves, curiously Sarah looked up at them.

The wild-man caught her gaze and his eyes softened into a multitude of blue and black emotion. Sarah sighed again.

Perfect, just perfect

Delilah had a bunch of otherworldly friends who –by the look of champagne girl- regularly did Vogue modeling. Once again, Sarah was demoted to frumpy, grumpy school-girl best friend. Sarah traced her scar with a melancholy finger and an abstract longing thumping in her heart.

-

Delilah gave Nick an expectant look. It was somewhere between cordially asking a workmate out for a drink and _'sit down you idiot or the entire space time continuum will come down on our heads!'_ Since it was Delilah, the road to salvation was not yet clear. As he began to slide into his seat, Nick saw a flurry of blurred images. Car keys, owls, butterflies, a giant maze, an Escher room, Sarah at sword point and as always blood. There was never a vision without blood. Nick moved away and as always sheepishly rubbed his head. A muttered sorry and away his mind went, chasing the butterflies and solving the labyrinth. Delilah gave his hand an apologetic squeeze. Unfortunately, the reprieve didn't last long, soon Sarah directed his attention at him again and the visions came stampeding back.

Nick hoped Delilah would figure it out soon.

-

This was definitely a spanner in the works. If Nick couldn't even get near her without the visions overwhelming him how the hell was Delilah meant to keep her away from Celia. Granted Celia wasn't the least bit interested. But if she ever found out the depth to which Sarah's power ran...well they're all screwed. Delilah mentally screwed her eyes up in concentration, what to do, what to do. Ah, if only Sarah-

Her muse was ruined as a silky head bobbed by and slid in next to Sarah. With a polite 'hello' and a small, sharp nod to her. Ren was seated next to an obviously flabbergasted Sarah, flipping demurely through the menu. Delilah smiled inwardly and lifted a questioning eyebrow at Sarah. Sarah of course sensing her mistake quickly and efficiently slipped into emotional stasis. She sighed and screwed up her nose.

She really couldn't stand that smell

-o-o-o-

Sarah was having trouble breathing again. She was seated next to one of the most impossibly beautiful people she had ever met without a clue as to how to start a conversation. Sarah being Sarah had never bothered to ask Delilah about there majors or any possible conversation starters. The girl –'Ren', Delilah mouthed 'her name is Ren'- was seated cross legged next to her looking for all the world like some ethereal street queen who lost her crown. Indeed, swathed in black and red nearly dripping with perfectly matched accessories, she looked like she'd be perfectly at home ruling the masses or in a grunge fight with a less well known rival. Everything about her screamed confidence, real I don't-give-a-damn confidence.

Something Sarah hasn't had for a long time.

-

Delilah was trying not to scream. How could Ren not notice? Wasn't it painfully obvious that Sarah wanted someone to talk to? Dear god even _Celia_ noticed. Which of course was a very bad thing and needed to be rectified at once. She was so very close to having a panic attack that when Don's eyes swiveled to her she basically threw her emotions at him. Pain flicked across his face and Celia secured her eyes with a murderous look. Don patted her shoulder and lifted his head.

With a look of complete agony on his face, he glanced at Sarah. "So you're the famous Sarah Williams." Thankfully a smile shot through the pain and his voice was colored with sincerity. "I'm Don, this is Sarah," He made a gesture at the champagne haired woman next to him, then another at the one next to Sarah "and well I suppose you've met Ren."

Celia sneered at her and Ren waved a silk hand in the air.

He noticed the abstract emotions flit through her eyes as she girded her loins.

"It's lovely to meet you Don," she gave him a quick smile before covertly looking at Celia, "Celia too."

It didn't take a genius to tell what Sarah thought of Celia.

Nick piped up, "Celia is my half sister, on my fathers side," he looked slightly thoughtful for a moment then soldiered on, "we've had some rather interesting adventures."

Celia raised an annoyingly perfect eyebrow, "Nick I don't think she needs to hear any silly stories..."

Sarah shook her head dismissively, and brought her knees to her chin, "I love stories! Especially Nick's there always really good."

Celia twitched and Ren smiled. Ren placed down her menu and flicked her eyes to Sarah.

With a slight smile at Delilah she asked what had to be today's life saving question, "So, have you read Isobelle Carmody?" to which Sarah's eyes lit up as she jumped head first into an awfully interesting discussion about books.

Celia glared at Sarah's head and 5 seconds later Sarah's dessertspoon, somehow, splattered Celia with crème caramel. Which of course they all studiously denied seeing.

Inwardly Delilah couldn't be happier. If Sarah couldn't even stand Celia then they wouldn't ever be friends and Delilah could possibly sleep tonight.

Delilah could lean back, relax and possibly finish that book she was reading.

Well until next week.

-o-o-o-

As far as stories go, Sarah William's was turning out to be quite interesting. Already she had defeated a magical foe, shook hands with grievous loss and experienced something that on average most humans took there sweet time getting to

Empathy

As strange as the notion was to the black owl, currently sitting on the old willow tree, staring at the group of _adults_ as they got closer and closer to pissed. He had never _had _to experience any kind of empathy. Infact emotions –save pride, smugness and self-importance- were to be avoided. 'Maybe he was right', a thought sprang to mind, 'it really was _such a pity_ that the girl was mortal.' The girl in question fearfully looked out the window.

Yes, _'Such a pity'_ indeed.

* * *

AUTHOR RaNt

You'll never guess what I saw at the zoo! As a guess it was brown, had feathers and may make an appearance in this story.

That's right a BARN OWL

Not any barn owl! One whose name just happened to be...

No, not Jareth- Sarah!

So now I have a Sarah the BARN OWL plushie

It's so cute!

Well I suppose this is something akin to character development...

Ah well

Just so you know I'm a fairly spastic updater so don't expect consistency.

REVIEWS help keep REVIEW whores like me on their meds...


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